BRIAN FOLEY
While the latest NLDS disaster still stings, my lasting impression from this past season was the lack of change. The rest of the NL East remained a dumpster fire, so the Nationals did what they always do: cruise to a division title, implode in a gut-wrenching NLDS, and make a managerial switch. Wash, rinse, repeat. How many times do we have to do this?
After half-a-decade of the same thing practically every year, the Nationals are no closer to a World Series than they were in 2012. Only now, they are less than a year away from an organization-altering offseason.
Bryce Harper is a pending free agent, but so are crucial pieces Daniel Murphy and Gio Gonzalez. The Nationals escaped the 2015 offseason unscathed when several key vets left. Will they be able to it again?
Teams are already preparing themselves up for the Harper sweepstakes. The Phillies have gobs of cap space. The Yankees and Dodgers are resetting their luxury tax fees. “Harper to the Cubs” rumors are now swirling.
The Nationals have reportedly already spoken with Scott Boras, Harper’s agent. Mike Rizzo is one of the best general managers in baseball, but major stories seem to spin out of control under his watch. How will he handle the Harper circus?
Nothing changed in 2017, and it’s hard to picture 2018 being any different. It’s up to the Nationals to prove us wrong.